


The Butterfly & the Zombie

by Beautiful_and_Broken



Category: Schooled (TV 2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Feelings Realization, First Kiss, Halloween, Halloween Challenge, Halloween Costumes, Love Confessions, Run Rick Run, Stolen Moments
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-19
Updated: 2020-06-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:34:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24770938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beautiful_and_Broken/pseuds/Beautiful_and_Broken
Summary: An AU in which Lainey realizes she's in love with CB on Halloween (takes place right after the "Run, Rick, Run" episode)
Relationships: Charlie "C.B." Brown/Lainey Lewis
Kudos: 3





	The Butterfly & the Zombie

**Author's Note:**

> Just a fun little idea. Hope you enjoy!

“Well, looks like I was wrong. You really did give these kids their Halloween back,” Lainey remarks as she joins CB in the hallway, dressed in her butterfly costume. “Plus, Wilma gets to squeeze lots of cute kiddos, Cinoman gets to ham it up, and look, Glascott’s made a tiny astronaut friend. We saved Halloween.”

“Not just theirs.” CB reaches into the shirt pocket of his homemade zombie costume and hands her a Butterfinger. She smiles and accepts the candy bar, her good mood skyrocketing through the roof at his sweet gesture.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me. I got some zombie walkin’ to do.” He angles his legs and arms, twisting his face into a silly expression. He staggers down the hall away from her, flailing his arms. 

“Brains!” he groans in a deep voice, purposely bumping into fellow teachers and students.

Lainey watches him, finding it hard to fight the grin from forming on her lips, or the blush on her cheeks. CB turns back to her, flashing a goofy grin and two very enthusiastic thumbs up, and she giggles at the utter ridiculousness of it all. She has to give it to him, though; he’d do anything to make his students laugh. Even if it means looking like a complete idiot in doing so.

“Oh, now the clapping stops?” CB asks in exasperation as the applause dies down. He attempts to hype up the crowd again. “Keep it going! Yeah! Brains!”

“Oh, boy, he sure is hopeless.” Lainey shakes her head, keeping her eyes trained on him. 

Then, suddenly, her smile fades. Her heart then begins to thump wildly, her whole world spinning out of control. Her mind flashes with images, sweet memories of her dear friend, who has always been there for her.

_ “And if I can grow into this amazing molder of young minds you see before you, who knows how great of a teacher you can be.” _

_ “I’d do anything for you.” _

_ “Well, I think the new you is pretty amazing.” _

CB’s eloquent words echo in her brain as well as the dream-like image of him standing out in the cold, the falling snow catching on his curls. It’s then, in that moment, that she realizes. She’s not meant to be with Barry. Her heart has always belonged to CB. She’s just been too blinded by their friendship to see it until now.

Lainey feels an overwhelming sinking sensation in her stomach at the thought, her breaths becoming labored. CB only thinks of her as a friend; there’s no way he holds romantic feelings for her or he would have let her know. Right? Besides, he knows she’s with Barry. He’d even helped her win Barry back after she broke his heart last spring.

Her thoughts become increasingly clouded by all the unanswered questions racing through her mind. But there’s only one way to answer them for certain.

Steeling herself, Lainey tucks the Butterfinger into her belt and takes off down the hallway after CB, her determination evident in the distinct pounding of her heels against the linoleum floor. When she reaches him, she tugs on his arm and pulls him down the hall to his classroom away from prying eyes. She glances fleetingly back at the parade, but no one seems to have noticed the sudden commotion.

Once inside the room, Lainey closes the door behind them, making sure the blue-colored blinds conceal the view as well.

“Lainey, what are you--” 

Before CB can finish his question, she pushes him up against the back of the door. 

“Uh, what is happening?” He loudly gulps, staring down at her with wide eyes. She senses his body tensing up by the second.

She answers him by leaning in and pressing her lips to his. He immediately relaxes, grabbing the sides of her face, and pulls her closer. Their kisses are delicate and soft, serving as sweet relief to the tension that has been bubbling up between them over the past year. 

CB pulls away. His eyelids are shut as if he's caught in a dream, but then they flitter open.

“Lainey, you have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.” He smiles, his right hand cupping her cheek.

“Really?” She mirrors his smile, the heat rushing into her cheeks once more. 

“Yeah,” he says softly. The sheer worshipful look he’s giving her makes her weak in the knees. No one has ever looked at her like that before, and she’s had her fair share of gazes from the opposite sex.

“CB, I know this might sound crazy, but… I think I may be falling in love with you,” Lainey confesses, glancing down at his tattered tie. 

“It doesn’t sound crazy at all because… the feeling is quite mutual,” CB answers her without hesitation. Her heart thrills to know he feels the same way about her. He moves his hands down from her face and fastens them behind her waist. “But what about Barry? I thought he was ‘the one.’”

“I changed my mind.” She smirks, fingering the candy bar tucked into her black leather belt. “You’ve offered me something sweeter and what girl could resist that?”

“Oh, I get it. The candy bar is a metaphor for love, right?” 

“Shut up, dummy.” Lainey kisses him again, more forcefully this time, and he melts into her.

He doesn’t utter another word.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! ~ Dazzy xxoo


End file.
